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ED 389 497 RC 020 357

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INSTITUTION

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JOURNAL CIT

Youth Leadership* IDRA Focus.

Intercul tural Development Research Association, San
Antonio, Tex.
ISSN-1069-5672
Oct 95

21p.; Photographs will not reproduce adequately.
Collected Works - Serials (022)
IDRA Newsletter; v22 n9 Oct 1995

EDRS PRICE
DESCRIPTORS

IDENTIFIERS

MFOl/PCOl Plus Postage.

Cross Age Teaching; Dropout Prevention; Dropout Rate;
High Risk Students; Intermediate Grades; "Leadership
Training; Secondary Education; Self Esteem; Student
Attrition; '''Student Development; '''Student
Participation; Student School Relationship; '''Tutors;
"Youth Programs

"Coca Cola Valued Youth Program; '''Texas

ABSTRACT

This theme issue focuses on motivating young people
to learn by providing leadership opportunities in school. "Coca-Cola
Valued Youth Program: Assessing Progress" (Josie Danini Supik)
examines the program's success. This program, which trains high-risk
middle and high school students as tutors of younger children, has
dramatically lowered dropout rates and discipline problems among
participants while increasing their achievement and self-esteem.
"Youth Leadership: Great Works in Progress" (Aurelio M. Montemayor,
Josie Danini Supik) proposes a new leadership training program to
create local teams of students who would participate in community
service learning projects and in school decision making and reform
efforts. "How Do I Value You? Let Me Count the Ways" (Aurelio M.
Montemayor) describes traditional and nontraditional ways of valuing
students and offers examples of student-centered activities that
enhance student self-worth and provide incentives for staying in
school. "Valued Youths: Six Years Later" (Conchi Salas) profiles two
student success stories from the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program. This
issue also contains two articles unrelated to the theme. "IDRA's
Latest Attrition Analyses Show Worsening Dropout Problem" (Roy
Johnson) reports that the percentage of students lost from Texas
public high school enrollment between their 9th-grade and 12-grade
years was AO percent for the period ending 1994-95, compared to 33
percent for the period 1985-86. This finding contradicts the Texas
Education Agency's recent report of steadily declining dropout rates.
Tables detail high school completion and dropout rates for the
states; attrition rates for Blacks, Whites, and Hispanics in Texas
counties; and Texas attrition and enrollment data for racia 1 /ethni c
groups. "Silent Partners in Education" (Conchi Salas) discusses the
importance of schools recognizing and valuing the educational
contributions of parents and families. Nine additional readings on
youth leadership are listed. (SV)

• PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS
MATERIAL HAS SEEN GRANTED 8Y

TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) "

IDRA Newsletter

IDRA Focus:
yoi'TH Lead!:rship

iss\ nm.str: \ olmnc .V.\7A So. 9 Oct. 1995

^^ch ass<^^ IDRA's Latest Attrition Analyses

nm x is an independent ShOW WORSENING DrOPOUT PrOBLEM

iwnprofU advocacy organization
dedicated to improving educational
oppovtuiiity. Thvoui>h research,
materials development, training,
technical assistance, evalttation,
and information dissemination,
we're helping to create schools
that work for all children.

XS %. Oei»Alin«NT or COUCATION
0«<« oi £duc«iK>n«i R«M«rch tnd lmprov«m«flr

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
y CENTER (ERIO

CTThit ()ocum«ni h«t b««n r«produCtd M
'•c«iv«d ffOm th« p«r«on or or^AmtttiOft

O Minor cn«no«t h«v« tmf \ mt<}« to tmprov«

'•fKOdUCttOA Qutltty

• Ponftof vittworoptnioottttttdinthitdocu-
mAnt do not n«C«M«r)4y r«<HM#nt o^^Cial

0€RI po«rtton Of po4*CV

In August, the Intercultural
Development Research Association ( I DR A )
released its attrition analyses for the 1994-
95 school year. These analyses were
conducted to estimate the numberof students
lost from Texas public school enrollment
prior to graduation from high school.

Since conducting the first
comprehensive study of school dropouts in
the state in 1986, IDRA has continued to
pcrfonn its attrition analyses to monitor the
status of school dropouts in the state
(Cardenas, et. aL, 1 986). Thisarticlepresents
the findings from I DRA's latest analyses for
the 1994-95 school year. The study looked
atenrollment figures forhigh school students
in Texas public high schools at the ninth
grade level in the 1991-92 school year and
at the 12th grade level in 1994-95. This
four-year period represent the titne span
that a ninth grade student in 1 99 1 -92 would
be enrolled in school.

During the 1 99 1 -92 school year, there
were 284,62 1 students etirolled in the ninth
grade. Of those, 0.2 percent were Native
Atiierican,2. 1 percent were Asian Atuerican,
35.9 percent were Hispanic, 14.7 percent
were Black or African American, and 47. 1
percent were White.

High school enrolltnent (grades nine
through 1 2 ) was 887,978 during the school
year. Of those students, 0.2 percent were
Native American, 2.4 percent were Asian
American, 32.5 percent were \ lispanic, 13.7
percent were African Atiierican, and 51.2
percent were White (see table on Page 15).

Three years later, the 12th grade
enrolltncnt was comprised of 183,504
students. Of this number, 0.2 percent were
Native American, 3.1 percent were Asian

; Roy Jp/wson/M:S.

American, 30.3 percent were Hispanic, 12.5
percent were African AtTierican, and 54.0
percent were White.

High school enrolliiient (grades nine
through 12) was 955,245 during the school
year. Of those students, 0.2 percent were
Native American, 2.6 percent were Asian
American, 33.6 percent were H ispanjc, 1 4.0
percent were African American, and 49.9
percent were White (see table on Page 1 5).

Major I indinfis of the Attrition Analyses
Based on the results of IDRA's
analyses, about 122,700 students were lost
from public high school enrolltncnt between
their ninth grade year in 1991-92 and their
12th grade year in 1994-95. The major
findings are presented below.

The rate of attrition has increased
over the period of 1985-86 to 1994-95.
The rate of attrition in public high school
enrollment increased from 33 percent in
1985-86 to 40 percent in 1994-95. This
representsa21 percent increase over the 10-
year study period (see table on top of Page
15).

In contrast, the Texas Education
Agency (TEA) found, in its most recent
study, that the annual dropout rate in the
state's public education system declined
consistently from 6.7 percent in 1 987-88 to
2.8 percent in 1992-93. Based on the self-
reports ot school districts througli the Publ ic
Education Infomiation System (PEIMS),
the number of school dropouts has declined
consistently from the 1987-88 school year,
the first report on dropouts developed by
TEA, to the 1992-93 school year, the most
recent repoti published by TEA.

Attrition Analyses ■ continued on page 12

BESTCOPVilVAiiAmc

In This Issue

Youth Leadership:
Great Works /\ Progress

How Do IV All YoL ?
Let Me Coim the Ways

SiLEST Partners

isEniTATlO!^

Refeec tioss & Commentary
ISIehseetter EniTORiAL Pac;e

Resources & Publicatioss
1 Schedule of AcTiviTtES

The Imercultund Development He-

organization with a 50 He )( 3) tax exempt
status. The purpose of the organization is
to disseminate intbnnation concerning
equahtv of educational opportunity. The
IDRA AVu'.v/.'m'r(lSSN I069-5672,copy-
right <" \ 995) serves as a vehicle for com-
nnmication with educators, school board
members, decision-makers, parents, and
the general public concerning the educa-
tional needs of all children in Texas and
across the United States,

Publication offices:
5835 C'allaghan Road, Suite 350
San Antonio. Texas 78228-1 190
Tel. 2UV684-8180
Fax 210/684-5389

Maria Robledo Montecel, Ph.D.

IDRA Exi'cuiivc Director
Newsletter llxecutive Editor

Christie L Goodman
IDRA Communications Manager
Newsletter Production Editor

Sarah H. Aleman

IDRA Ddiii Entry Clerk
Newsletter Typesetter

or patterns ofrcaluy, shaped by our unders a^^^ i restructuring in

rules and assumptions ^ °"Vro?br^tSrthlt edu ation is not working for all
education, emerging from a P"^ f""™^^^^
childrenjequiresatranstoma^o^^^^^^^

as derionstrated by our "Now" thinkers below.

THAT r^ . then;

■ Tlw lower classes should he j^uUleil.
not educated.

- Voltaire ;

■ (;/, here, " c don V take no gii(I Jroin
kid.s. We aren 7 paid to take any lil>l>i">i
oil if a kid gets .<;mart. he gets
elohhered. That 'v the way we do ii. " \

- principal in New York. Quoted in ,
The La.'<t Resort, \995

■ Interpretively. the brighter dropouts
nuiygo h<,cktoget a GEO. but they
eontinue to share in common with the
permanent dropouts a lower-cki.ss
.social background that has not
inculcated a work ethic that makes Jor
.success in the labor force. "

- Richard Hemistein and Charles
Mumy.The Bell Curve, 1994

ERIC

Permission to reproduce material con-
tained herein is granted provided the ar-
ticle or item is reprinted in its entirety and
proper credit is given to IDRA and the
author. Please send a copy of the material
in its reprinted form to the Nemlet-
ler production offices. Editorial submis-
sions, news releases, subscription re-
quests, and change-of-address data should

be submitted in writing to the Newsletter
Production Mditor. The IDRA Newsletter
staff welcomes your comments on edito-
rial material. .

-A closer look at [our] numbers
dispels the stereotype of the high i
s-chool dropout as the bright hut
unlucky youngster who.se talents are
wasted becau.se of economic
di.sadvantuge or a school .system that
eannot hold onto him - the .stereotype
that people have in mind when they
lament the American dropout rate
becau.se it is frittering away the
nation \s human capital. ..The
permanent dropout in.'itead fits the
older image of the youngster who is
both not \-ery .smart and from the wrong
side of the tracks. "

- Rieliard Hermstein and Charles
Uxxmy, The Hell Curxx; 1994

TmsisJ^OW.

All who have meditated on the art of
governing mankind have been eonvinced
)hat the fate of empires depends on the
education of youth.
- Aristotle

"The vouth population has been
misnamed the .self-centered generatwn
There S a strong desire to serve others.
The problem we lace in America today is
not a lack of willingness to .serve or help
others but to find the appropriate outlet

for this. "

- (ieorgc Gallup, 1987

■There is no .socially responsible,
productive and connected role Jor young
people in mo.sl societies, certainly in the
United States: few Jobs, no real policy-
making leadership, no positions oj
political power, no high expectations oJ
young people's contribution to society.
- John Bell, YouthBuild. Quoted in A
New Vi.sion: Promoting Youth
Development, September 1991

•7 have per.sonal knowledge of the
success of young Hi.spanics going into
the field of education. Wc need many
more as role models Jor Hispanic

children. "

- Ardis Gonzales, letter to editor,
Hispanic, September 1995

1 Youth development programs are the
mo.st effective and least expen.sive child
welfare in the world. "

- Philip Coltoff, executive director.
Children's Aid Society. Quoted in
Youth r«c/«v, July-August 1995

October 1995 H lURA Newsletter

SpotUght oi^ Assessment

Like other children, students whose first language is otherthan English bring a weahh of knowledge and experience to school. But
historically, standardized tests have provided little or no useful information about these students' language or cognitive abilities.
The use of assessment and testing data has too often been limited to holding students accountable, offering little or no help to guide
improvement efforts or foster collective accountability. IDRA works with all parties that have a vested interest in the educational
outcomes produced by the schools - the students, the educational practitioners, the families and the broader community - to use
data to frame solutions, monitor progress ami hold all of the participants involved in the educational process accountable for the
end results. IDRA is helping schools find solutions to traditional methodsoftcsting and assessment, enabling students from diverse
backgrounds to become empowered learners.

Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program: Assessing Progress

Josie Danhii Supik, M A.

It is mid-October and you are in your
classroom early one morning review ing your
eighth graders' achievement test scores when
one of your students enters the room. You
ha\ e known *'Mark"* since he was in grade
school. Back then, he seemed full of energy
and promise, not like his older brother who
had dropped out of high school. You have
heard that Mark's brother is working for
minimum wage and is trying to cam his

cu:d.

Now it seems as if Mark is following
in his brother's footsteps. He was having so
much trouble with math that he had to repeat
the seventh grade. It is not that he is a
troublemaker; you would almost welcome
that. Trying to get him to even answer one
question aloud in class is like pulling teeth.
That was one of the reasons you put him in
the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program. If
this does not work, you arc sure he will not
make it through high school.

But this morning, he walks over to
your desk and hands you a wad of paper.
You open it and find a bullet. You begin to
speak wlien he tells you that he had planned
to use it the night before, but he had stopped
when he remembered that his tutees would
be waiting for him today, waiting for him to
tutor them. He wants you to keep the bullet.
He will not be needing it anymore.

Mark is one of 2500 middle and high
school students who have been reached by
the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program since
1 990. That was the year that The Coca-Cola
Foundation awarded $K35 million to the
Intercultural Development Research
Association ( IDRA) to expand the program
to 10 elementary and secondary schools in
Texas, New Yo c, Florida and California
over five years.

Now, fast forward to 1995, and the
Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program is in not
just 10 but 54 schools, and it is slated to

*i\'ami' cfutn^i'ii (or pn\m y

begin in 20 more schools later this fall. The
reasons forthisexplosive growth have been
outlined before in the IDRA Newsletter {sec
Supik, 1994) with descriptions of linkages
across central office and the secondary and
elementary campuses, clear roles and
responsibil ities for all stakeholders ( students,
teachers, administrators and parents),
efficient evaluation and monitoring, quick
affecti\'e changes, financial compensation
for the work done, families as valued
partners, and a student-centered curriculum.

In the five years of IDRA'spartnership
with The Coca-Cola Foundation, this
program has reached more than 1 7,000 tutors
and tutees, parents, teachers, and
administrators. And it has cost less than
S250 per student to operate this program -
that includes the training and technical
assistance, monitoring and evaluation,
tutors' stipends and materials needed. This
translates to approximately $17 per week
for 1 5 weeks of work for each tutor, less than

a meal for four at McDonald's.

How Does the Program II ork?

The program is grounded in IDRA's
core belief that "^ill students are \ aluable:
none is expendable." It takes the inherent
value in students, parents and educators and
brings it forth through new connections and
experiences. Tutors become role models for
their tutees in the elementary schools.
Teachers begin to see the contributions these
students make to their schools and
communities. Parents begin to hear
wonderful things about their children.
Administrators see students succeeding.

How Do We Know it \\ orks?

Since its inception in 1984, the
program has been rigorously researched and
evaluated. After a longitudinal study in 1 987,
IDRA had the empirical evidence needed
for determining which of the program's

Coca-Cola \ YP - lontimwil on /»</.i;t' 'V

Effects of the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Pro(.ram

One tutor was absent only 1 9 days one year. The previous year (pre-
Valued Youth), he was absent 129 days (four months).

One student increased his grades by more than 10 points in
mathematics, reading and English. This same student also decreased
visits to the principal's office from 1 9 to five and went from 5 1 days
absent the previous year to zero.

"Now that I am in ninth grade, I feel it's going to take a lot of effort
to succeed and become a better student in high school . Being a tutor
has helped me to become more responsible and this will help me in
the long run; not only through high school, but throughout my life."

- Juan (lordillo, qiuUcd in Cina-Colu Valued Youth Proi^ram
Mentor's Tips for Success- in iii^h School, Au^n.st 1994

October 1995 KB IDRA Newsletter

SPOr LIGHT OS PROFESSldSAL DlL I 'mOPMEST

IDRA challenges practices and firmly-held beliefs regarding the education of children. Instead of viewing readiness as an intrinsic,
child characteristic which must be assessed to determine whether that child can benefit from certain school experiences, readiness
is views as external to the child and tied to teacher beliefs. lDRA*s concept of professional development is based on valuing, of
self and others - it is the valuitig of self and of colleagues as teachers and as adults with much to offer with a vision and a hope to
make a difference in children's lives. We believe that all teachers bring strengths to the profession and that all arc capable of both
excellence and improvement. IDRA assists people to create educational solutions through innovative, participatory, and hands-on
presentations, workshops and technical assistance that promote sustained growtii and development. With this principle that
encourages unity rather than uniformity, our assistance values the cultures of our participants and acknowledges their experiences.

Youth Leadership: Great Works in Progress

Aurelio M. Montemayov, M.Ed, and Josie Danini Supiky M.A.

Youth leadership is essential to make
schools work for all children. Meaningful
leadership experiences motivate young
people and accelerate their learning. When
schools integrate such opponuniiies in a
well-planned and supported curriculum,
they often find that students cc. ne alive and
shine.

These opportunities have traditionally
been reserxed for too few and narrowl>'
identified students who are considered to
have "earned" the opportunities through
good behavior, acceptable grades and
English proficiency. Recent experiments
extending leadership opportunities to
students who seem headed for trouble or
incomplete educations, have shown the
consistently positive results: Students are

re-energized and radiant.

In the box below, ilie quotes, taken
from the script written by studeiits about
their experience as tutors, validate the
Interculiural Development Research
Association's (IDRA) I 1-year experience
withtheCoca-Cola Valued Youth Program.
Students chosen for the program are not
those typically selected for leadership roles
on campuses. Our faith in all students is
confinned ever>' year in our many program
participants. But IDRA does not puiport to
turn all middle school students into tutors.
This program simply illustrates one
successful way to give young adolescents a
position of leadership, and the results have
been consistently positive. A principal
l ecent ly asked us, ''WMien ai e you coming by

! 1

Middle Sc hool Students Tell of Their Experiences
IN THE Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program

Li/: "How did this program help you?"

[ j ic: "I will always remember my experiences as a tutor because it was

cool in the way it helped me accomplish my goals."
Claudia: "1 felt I had an important job and had to be responsible."
Paul: "\ was treated as an adult and as if i was a teacher. This program

helped me mature - gave me patience and made me responsible."
Maria: "What I will always remember nbout this program will be the great

times 1 had with my tutees and how much I helped them to make

better grades."

Angie: "Working with children helped me control my temper"
Claudia: "I had one kid that used to misbehave. 1 tutored him for two whole

years because no one else could handle him as well as 1 could."
Javier: *1 will never forget my tutees, my friends and my teachers. 1 feel

good because I want to be a teacher and this gave me some

experience.''

Daisy: "111 always remember how attached 1 got to a little pre-kinder boy
and how attached he got to me. His teacher told me that he didn't
want to do anything when 1 wasn't around. It was very hard for me

• to say goodbye on the last day of tutoring. Til never forget him."

I .

Source: Video script written by Valued Youth Tutors in Brownsville, Texas, August 1994.

ERLC

so that we can design a service learning
program that has the Coca-Cola Valued
Youth Program impact?"

More is needed to have students work
with others to transform their schools.
Students are isolated, tracked iind segregated
by Uinguage proficiency, economics,
eihiiicity and race, perceived academic
aptitude, and neighborhood. Most
leadership training models are
indiv idualistic and elitisl, so that even if
non-iraditional students are participants, the
experience continues the isolation even
though the individual's chances for success
are grently increased.

Students generally are not in the circle
of influence in school decisions and are
fundamentally seen as passive recipients of
instruction, course content, curriculum,
scheduling, and promotion or retention.
Youth are seen as incomplete adults and
therefore not capable of making decisions
that affect their daily lives and their future.
In fact, there seems to be a general fear of
giving students autonomy and a voice in
essential school decisions.

IDRA is searching for schools to
extend the "valuing model" beyond our
cuiTcnt cross-age tutoring program. We hope
to work with teachers and administrators to
set up a variety of activities that are centered
around student leadership and service
learning and that model the valuing of
students to take students to new heights of
responsibility, critical thinking and
empowerment. (See Page 6 for a variety of
examples of student leadership projects and
programs.) One way that IDRA wants to
work with schools is outlined below. Any
takers?

Developing Youth Leaders

1 DR A envisions a national community
of diverse youth leaders who actively create
\outh Leadership - amtimied on pa^e 5

October 1995

IDRA Newsletter

News About IDRA's Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program

The C ova-Cola h ouitdatioit Expansion to dive
Pvoi^ram SaUonal \ is i hi/if y

I hc Coca-C ola I ouiuiaiion lias announced a new
coniiiiiinicnt to IDRA's Coca-Cola V alued Youth Program to
accelerate the national expansion of the program o\ er the next
three years. With The Coca-C ola I oundation's grant award ol
S^oo.ooo^ IDRA w ill replicate tiie program in 12 secondary and
clenieiitarx schools in \\ ashinglon. D.C.; St. Louis and Kansas
City. Missouri: Atlanta, (ieorgia: Houston. Texas: andC^hicauo.
Illinois.

This w ill expand the \isibilit\- of the Coca-Cola Valued
Youth Program at the national le\ el. and it w ill keep an additional
lO.OOO children \u school and help these children realize their
goals and their potential. Among the goals for this expansion is
to contribute to national efforts around conuniniity ser\ice
learning and school-lo-work experiences.

Brownsville Takes the Coca-Cola I alued Youth
Pro ram District H ide

Working closely w ith IDRA. the Browns\ ille school di. strict
aiul its school board appi o\ ed the continuation and expansion of
the Coca-Cola V alued N'oulh Program from fourtoeight mit.dlc
schools using district funds, making it the first school district in
the country to implement the program district wide. This
extraordinar>- support w as due to the program's success over the
past four years in Brownsville, Texas, and to IDRA's linkages
with schools and the community.

In addition, the Valued ^'outh Border SchooK lnihali\e.
funded h\ ihe School Dropout .VsMStance Program in the I .S.
Department of llducation and now m its filth \ear ol' (Operation,
includes exlensise support ser\ ices and incorporaiCN peer
mentorsiiip.

This Near, a refined peer mentorshij^ model will be
implemented m two high schools with tbrmer tutors continuing
their tutoring in the elementar\ schools and also w orking w ith the
University of lirownssiUe on planning and preparing for their
future. Professors and studeni \olunieers will work with these
mentors to ha\ e them focus on their career goals. Mem or
coordinators will continue working with the students, but the
emphasis w ill be on preparing them for a successful career.

This pilot w ill be invaluable for all of the Valued ^'outh sites
as w'c look at expanding the model to go beyond the middle school
andc\en beyond the high school. A continuous line of support can
be created from kindergarten through high school graduation and
beyond to college and the world of work.

American Foundation for Children and Youth
Contracts for Houston Sites

The American Foundation for Children and ^'outh. Inc. has
awarded a grant to IDRA. through the Rotary International
Kaundation of Houston, to implement the C oca-Cola Valued
^'outh Program at one secondare and one elementary school site in
the Houston Independent School District.

Youth Leadership • cotituiucd /mm puiic
schoolsofthe future for young people today.
We propose to develop and imp lenient a
leadership training program that
accomplishes the following:

• Brings diverse students together
(economic class, academic level, ethnicity
and geographic area),

• Creates youth spokespersons while
supporting their connection to their peers,

• Models collaborative and servant
leadership,

• lincourages students to defnie excellent
schools,

• Ciives yoimg people autonomy and active
roles in decision making,

• Provides tools for critical analysis of
schooling, and

• Creates collaborative initiatives designed
and implemented by students.

The program will involve students
selected from a balance of junior and senior
high schools and freshmen and sophomores
in college. Etlinic and gender-balanced
representation will mirror the ethnic and
socio-economic composition in the
community.

The youth participants will interact

with each other during three meetings (one
full day and two evenings). The youths will
participate in two-day experiential retreats
at the beginning and middle of the school
year and a six-week internship with a stipend
during the summer An annual conference
forall participants will beheld in the spring.
All participants will develop teams for local
projects. They will design and carry out the
projects during the school year and summer.

Critical componentsof this leadership
training program are the following:

• The program relates totransforming and
improving schools.

• The program has observable,
measurable, time phased objectives and
activities.

• The program can be realistically
accomplished within a school year.

• The program is youth team developed
and owned.

Training will be highly participatory,
with increased responsibility given to the
participants for content and process as the
cycle progresses. Included in the process
are participant mini-editorials on self-
selected topics, ongoing journals and
computernetworkingtocommunicate about

their projects and about topics central to the
training such as leadership, school reform,
and diversity and multiculturalism. Major
themes include effective schooling,
leadership, school structures, accelerating
learning for all students, careers, social
responsibility and service learning.

As a result of their involvement in
IDRA's youth leadership efforts, the
follow ing will occur:

• ^'outh will experience atithentic
opportunities to serve.

• Pa rti c i pat i ng yout h w i 1 1 e \ h i b i t c lea r goal s
and direction, exercise initiative, give
service, take responsibility, and value
self and others.

• Schools will accept youth leadership and
integrate youth input into central decision
making.

• Students will experience engaging,
challenging and meaningful activities,
ha\e access to infomiati(Mi in the real
w orld, and provide immediate and long-
temi help.

• Students will experience and model
collaborative leadership in a diverse and
multictillural community.

Youth Leadership - conttnuvd on panv 1 7

ERIC

October 1995

IDRA Newsletter

How Do I Value You? Let Me Count the Ways

Aurelio M. Montemayor/lk.Ed.

Editor 's Sotc: Thisariicle is cxcerpicd from
its orii^ifial appearance in llic IDRA
Ncwslctlcr. -lui^iisi IWJ.

Dr. Jose A. C ardciias, fouiulcr [and
now director cineritus] of II)Ra\,
suniniari/.cs cfTcctivc dropout prevention
programs with the letters I'-S-P: vuhiinii.
support and parents. In all successful
programs for the education of youth
considered at-risk of dropping out of school .
a valifinii of the students occurs in ways in
which they are not valued in regular and
traditional school programs; support
mechanisms are much more exteiisive than
those commonly found in regular and
traditional situations; and finally, parents
are invoUed in meaningful relationships
with the school, in relationships not
commonly found in regular and traditional
situations. This article focuses on the valuing
of students.

Harriers to \ 'alaint^ Students

Students at-risk of dropping out. as a
m 1 e, are not se 1 ecte d fo r posi t i \ e rec ogn i t i o n
or for leadership roles. Many are social
isolates and are not inclined to participate in
traditional school activities. If students are
identified for special services, they are
usually chosen for something they lack or
for dysfunctional behavior. Students nid
teachers see remediation and correcuon
programs as a stigma.

l eachers and staff resist giving these
students responsibility, recognition or
leadership roles. Concerns range from fears
of rewarding dysfunctional behavior to
despair in the student's inability to handle
responsibility .follow instructions or behave
maturely.

A majorbreakthrough in the student's
life results from experiencing success in
school and peer activities. However, such a
breakthrough is precluded by the above
mentioned prejudices, which lock students
and teachers in a vicious cycle: students are
not participating in school and are therefore
dropping out, and they are dropping out
because they are nol participating.

\ alidnfi Students

Yet, despite the obstacles, some
schools and programs have n mnaged to break
that cycle. Students that were formerly

considered ^'problems" have become
"solutions." l-rom a gang leader who
becomes the protector of the student mural
in the school hallwav, to the previously
failing student who becomes a successful
tutor for a younger student and, in the process,
succeeds in school. l:xamples abound from
across the United States of ways that "at-
risk" students are valued, And this "valuing"
directly leads to their success in school.

Traditional and .\onfrau'tfionaI
Ways fo \ (due Students

Schools have numerous traditional
ways of valuing students including the
following:

• Awards for achievement,

• Appointment by faculty to positions of
responsibility,

• Election by peers to positions of
responsibility in student activities.

• Publicity of achievements through
different communications media, and

• Hiringthcm to assist withschool functions
and activities.

The challenge is to extend these
traditional ways to at-risk students and
expand the variety of ways of valuing them.

Examples with Students Considered
tohe At'Risk

Cross-age Tutoring. Middle- and
high-school students in San Antonio school
districts tutor elementary students several
times a week for an hourly wage.

Peer Counseling. Dropouts who
return to high school in Tucson, Arizona,
work with school counselors and serve as
peer counselors for one period during the
regular school day. They also give
motivational speeches to incoming
freshmen.

Student Artists. Students from the
lironx. New York, who have experienced
severe problems in the regular high school
setting, learn about literature through artistic
renderings of the themes of the world's
greatest literature. They produce large
canvases and works of art and sell them for
significant amounts of money, which fund
the continuation of their projects.

Student Scientists. Underachieving
students in science from Roosevelt High
School are selected as part of a team with a
mobile science lab and make the wonders of

October 1995

the physical and biological world come
alive for Kast l.os .Angeles, California,
elementary students.

Health Leaders. A group of female
middle-school students in Brownsville,
Texas, after discussing ♦he problems ot\lmg-
abuse, decide to form their own "Just Say
No" club, Most of them had been considered
h\ their teachers to be the most prone to
abuse drugs, but the club is formed at the
students' own initiativ e.

N ideo Production. Studenis in the
San .'\ntonio area improv e written and oral
communication skills while producing
qualitv and high-interest television
programs.

.Abuse Prevention. South Texas
students, themselves considered at-risk of
abusing drugs and alcohol, become group
leaders in educating their peers about the
adverse effects of drug and alcohol use.

Peer Mentors. Junior-high and high-
school students in Austin, Texas, become
big brothers and sisters to younger students
and motivate, counsel and sometimes even
tutor them.

Social Scientists. Students from
economically disadvantaged backgrounds
in rural Appalachia document their
community's local folkloric traditions and
other sociological phenomena. They produce
a series of journals sold in major bookstores.
A Spanish-dominant teenager in Tucson,
.Arizona, without previous experience in
any aspect of television production and
minimal success in the regular classroom,
plans and executes a televised interview of
the director of a historical building in
Tucson.

Newsletter Publishers, A fifth-grade
class that had developed a reputation for
"chewing up" teachers, feared even by
substitutes and without a pennanent teacher
for the first six weeks, publishes a bilingual
new sletter with original articles, poetry and
art by the students themselves.

These specific examples are
representative, but not exhaustive of possible
ways to value students. Student-centered
activities explicitly designed to strengthen
the students' self-worth offer strong
incentives for students to remain in school,
rhe underlying premises of such activities
are that the student contains vast and
llow Do t I \due Xou - l onitnuccl on pa^c 7

IDRA Newsletter

How Do I I aiuc You • t'onnniu'd fiom pa^t 6

untapped potential, can help peers in many
ways, can lead other students, and can excel
in a \ aricty of traditional and nontraditional
ways.

( onsiderthe varictv of options. Create
alternative leadership roles for students and
consider a wide array of roles. A useful
framework for devising ways to value
students includes the following:

• Curriculum Builders havingstudcnis
develop instructional materials for their
peers or younger students through group
tasks, community surveys,
documentation of peer feelings and
experiences, conducting taped
interviews, creating and cataloging
artistic endeavors, and using applied
mechanic J> or carpentry .

• Teachers - tutoring peers, younger
students and adults.

• Communicators publishing
newsletters or student literature,
developing public service
announcements for media, directing and
managing student asscmbi ies, organizing
and leading student clubs.

• Resources for Youth - counseling or
mentoring students, staffing hotlines for
runaways or other troubled youth,
mediating youth-to-youth and youth-to-

adult conflicts, polling peersabout issues
of concern.
• Community Services assisting in
.social service programs, planning and
conducting community bcautification
projects, raising money for service
projects.

If you are a principal: Identify a
willing and eager teacher who has already
shown success with "at-risk" students.
Review the array of options. Stan small.
Hncourage. (ji\e it time. Hxpect surprises.
Obserxe all successes keenly and gi\e
recognition.

If you are a teacher: Plan your
activity and approach the principal with a
feasible plan. Clearly define yourobjectives
and know how they relate to keeping kids in
school and learning.

If you are a parent: Identify a willing
teacherandtogetherforgea plan, or approach
the principal with a realistic plan.

Ultimately, all students are valuable;
None is expendable. Formany reasons, some
seem harder to value than others. Yet there
are countless adults who bear witness to the
tremendous positive resource that children
are valuable, though they might have
generally been regarded as worthless. And
if you truly value them, like love in Elizabeth

Barret Browning's sonnet, you could never
finish counting the ways.

Ri'stmrct's

(tiuirn;i>. K "Hunuin Rchiiroris l.tlucauon. Icachirm
N(>n-\ "olcni Sohmon^it) I iunum I'rudloius." /orum
\cu>!cllcr oI'IaIlicuIoss To; Social KcNiXMt>ibilit\
(SunHucr I0n7)

I lalluuin. M. 1 . *■ The IVci InlUicncc I'loccxs.** Siui{ic\
III f.i/n. <niiot f-.'viiiitimon (llin>!V>rd. N'

l.c^^r^.A )imlh Si-nin^ihr )(mi}ii I f\i/h \ ii/iu'pnni

i'.u- )(iU!h Srr\nc la HdumUinmllx AtRi.sk

ChiUh cn (W a>hrngioii. I).C ^ ouih Scr\icc

Anicnca. I*)S7)
Mooiiv . K. CitHtl\ Uii- Ytmih . I l.ifc SkiU.s (hhtl-St'iioii;

Mthk'l ( N"cv\ \ oi k. N ^* State l^ui cau i>rMii»nint

IlJiicatioii. h^X")
National C onunisMon ow Kcsoiiivo lor ^"olUh. Sew

RaU s fur Youlh in llic Si iuwl ami ///r (. 'oinmunit\

(Ncu ^■oI•k. N.V C itation. !^>74).
"Peer Prouranis in levas. What's 1 lappeninj;'.'"

}\iiuir(unu ( I, pp. 1-5
Rodeiiek. 1. "Johnny Can Learn to Negotiate.*"

HJmanonu/ Lriuloship (h>SS). 46. pp. K7-S*>.
\\ igjimjiton, I!. Sonu'iuncs </ Shinin\i Mtnncni. The

l\)\tirc HxfH'ru'iKc ((iarJen C'it\. N.^' : .Xnchor

Press l)oiible'.Ia\. 1^;S5)
Wiiliani T Cirant I'oundaMon C'oinnus.Mon on W ork.

Kaniity and Ciii/en^liip. i't:izcn\hip Tfirtniiih

Scn ii c: I\iih\\(i\ \ la Surccss for Anu riftt '.v Ynuth

(iiul Yonnii /'unit/u s {Washington. 1)C\' William

T.Grant Foundation. I9SS).

Aurelio A/. Xfoiueniayor is a sciiiar ah wot ion
associate in the I PR A Division of Profcssionol
Dcwhpuwnt.

IDRA Participates in Community Education Leadership Program

Felix Monies, PhJX

Juanittt Garcia, M.A»

IDRA research associate. Dr. Felix Montes, was among this year's graduates of the Community
Hducation Leadership Program (CHLP) in San Antonio. CELP is a 12-month fellowship that enhances
collaborati vecross-cultural skills of civic, business, educational and community leaders. It prepares, supports
and nurtures this network of leaders sotheycan work collaboratively and effectively to create positive change
in their culturally, ethnically and racially diversity community.

As the program begins another year, IDRA education associate, Juanita Garcia, M. A., has been chosen
to participate among the new class of fellows. IDRA has played an active role in the program by providing
planning assistance, training, facilities and materials. IDRA staff have served as facilitators for sessions and
helped develop the training design. IDRA's executive director. Dr. Maria Robledo Montecel serves on the
CF.LP board of directors.

CELP wasdeveloped by the Institute for Educational Leadership and is partially funded by a grant from
the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. It is a national program, operating in San Antonio, Detroit, St. Louis
and Washington, D.C.

''Effective community leadership for tomorrow's America demands new perspectives, skills,
relationships and collaborations^ commented Tony Rivera, USAA vice president and chair of the San
Antonio CELP board of directors. "The purpose of CELP is to enable those to happen in our community
and across the nation," he said.

CELP fellowsdevelopskillsofcross-cultural collaborative leadership. They move beyond perceived
differences, learn how to identify common goals and begin to form alliances with diverse community
constituencies to resolve common problems. They use their community environments as the primary
context for examining and discussing community issues. Through participation in a series of on-site
training activities (seminars, site visits, skills development workshops, individual and group projects),
fellow'sgain highly practical knowledgeaboutpolicicsandprograiii strategies forcommunityiiiiprovemcnt.

October 1995

IDRA Newsletter

Coca-C ola > ')/' < nnnniwJ tmm {hii*v

clciiicnls were non-nc^otiablc. If you were
going to operate this program, what exactly
needed to be in place and what could be
adapted lo your particular school. Tiie
program's five instructional components
(tutoring, classes for tutors, student
recognition, role models, field trips) and
five support components (curriculum,
coordination, staff enrichment, parent
iinoKenient. evaluation) and their critical
elements became the means for students
deemed **at risk" of dropping out of school
to not only slay in school but fmd meaning
and success in their school li\cs.

Is this Prof^ram liffective?

^*es. Less than 2 percent of \'alued
^'outh tutors drop out i^f school. Of the first
1 00 Valued Youth tutors ( 1 1 9N7 ). each
and e\ery one graduated from high school:
5K went on to college or a technical or
business school. Tiiis takes on dramatic
significance when the context is considered.
In l^S4.asin 1 995. one out of three students
were dropping out of school before
graduating.

Minority. limited-Ftnglish-proficient.
and poorstudents were especially vulnerable,
in IDRA^s 1986 Texas Dropout Survey
Project, we found that 86.000 students in
Texas did not graduate from high school. Of
the Hispanic students w ho dropped out. half
did so before ever reaching the ninth grade
(Cardenas et al, 1986). Some people have
asserted that all these 86.000 students
transferred to other schools or out of state or
"went back to Mexico.** \\ c know better.
The odds of a H ispanic or African-American

not graduating from high school are one in
three: for non-Hispanic Whites, one in four.
(National C enter for [education Statistics.
1990).

Valued Youth tutors def\ these odds.
The program results have remained constani
year afer year: Tutors* grades and
achie\en\ent tests score;: increase, they go
to school more often and visit the pri ncipafs
office less often, and tliey feel better about
theniseKes and about their school. The
program has been so successful that it was
approved by ihe U.S. Department of
l-ducation's Program Liffectiveness Panel
for inclusion in the National Diffusion
Network in 1991 as a That Works.

The program's media coverage j ust over the
past five years fills several albums and
reaches diverse audiences such as Fortu/h',
Financial l^'orUi, i'SA Today. SEA Todaw
and the front page of the li 'ashini^ton Post.
Barbara Walters profiled the program in an
ABC television special, and it w ill be featured
in an NBC television documentary on
businesses investing in effective educational
programs later this year.

These are the measurable results:
lower dropout rates, pre- and post-test
achievement test scores, grades,
absenteeism, disciplinary referral rates,
standardized self-concept and quality of
school life scores, teacher ratings and
national recognition. Yet as important as
this evidence is. it is only part of the
assessment picture. "T-test" scores and *'P**
values are not what stopped Mark from
pulling the trigger that night. What stopped
him was the bond he had formed with three
small children who were depending on him

New Lkadership Dkvklopment Program BttnNs in San Antonio

This month. San Antonio has kicked off a new Leadership Development
Program to engage students with community and leadership ser\'ice opportunities.
Sponsored by the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of C ommerce and the National
Council of La Raza. the program will develop skilled pools ofleaders for private and
public service on policy and decision making boards and commissions that affect the
community. IDRA^s executive director. Maria Robledo Montecel. Ph.D.. is a
member of the program's steering committee.

The program involves a nine-month commitment by students to serve and learn
practical first-hand knowledge from a skilled expert in the community. Participant's
interest and skills will be combined strategically with the needs of Hispanic
community-based organizations, governmental and non-profit organizations. Other
participants w ill serve in a volunteeror appointed leadcrshipcapacity on local public
or private policy-making boards.

After it is piloted this year, the program will be expanded to include more
students and businesses. For infonnation on participating next year, contact the San
Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at 210/225-0462.

ERLC

to sec them through this school year. What
stopped him w as know ing that, without him.
they might not make it. and they might end
up sitting in a room one night with a loaded
chamber. He w anted more for them.

Looking at Mark's grades that year.
\ou would have seen that he maintained his
average grades in l.nglish. mathematics and
reading, and you might ha\ e concluded that
the program had a nominal impact. .And \ ou
w ould ha\e been w rong.

.Mark. likeotherX'alued ^'outhsacross
the countrN . are making a positix e difference
in their lives and in the lives of those around
them. .Accuratelx and appropriately
assessing that difference means using
different and more sensitixe tools than
^'Normal Cur\ e Equivalent Scores." It means
looking at relationships and at w hat people
say and do. One of the most powerful aspects
of this program, the relationship between
the tutor and the tutee. would never be
factored into a traditional equation. Yet it is
this relationship of mutual (rust, need and
responsibility that is at the program's core
and is the catalyst for transfomiation.

Capturing a program's essence and its
impact means widening the lens on our
scopes. It is comparable to looking at a glass
of water and trying to figure out if it is half
empty or half full. The answer may not be in
the glass but on whedier someone is pouring
or drinking. We can widen our scopes with
interviews, participant obserxation. open-
ended questions and case stud\' interx iews.
We also do that by establishing our own
relationship with those we are assessing. It.
too, must be a relationship of mutual trust,
need and responsibility. Without this
relationship and sensitive tools, we are
missing the total picture - a picture that
shows students who are valued and who
ha\e learned to value themselves.

Resources

C'ardcn;is, Jose A . and Maria Koblodo Monicccl.and
Josio Supik. f'cxa*^ sSchoon^ropotil Siinvv Project
A Summary of the J-'ituhn^s (San Anlonu>. Texas:
Inlet cultural Development Rescarcli Association.

\'ali()nal t enter for Ediieatwn Statistics (NCI-IS.

Supik. JoMc. "The Coca-Cola \'alucd ^'outh Program;
An Idea Thai Works." Sewsletter (San

AiittMun. I exas' Iniorculiural I)c\elopnicnl
Rcseaicli AssociaUon. ()cU>bcr KH)4) XXI(*>) pp.
U>-|7

Josic Panint Supik i.\ the director of the IHRA
Division of Research and Fvaluatton.

October 1995

IDRA Newsletter

SpoTUQiiT ON Parent Involvement

One constant element in student achievement is parental involvement. Research and analysis of the past 15 years conclusively
demonstrate that when parents arc mvolved in their children's education, children do better in school, and the schools do better too
IDRA believes that parents are mtelligcnt and want the best education for their children. Parents of all socio-economic levels and
all cultural groups can participate meaningfully in their children's schools. Thev can act as a driving force for innovations that
improve the education of their children. IDRA helps parents and schools examine ways in which they can make a difference in their
students' academic success.

Silent Partners in Education

There are many ways ofdeveloping
highly motivated, academically strong
students in the classroom. Parenial
involvement is an area that has been
lapped but not to its tullesi. It remains an
extremely important piece of the
pedagogical system and to students'
success in school. Evidence shows that
students are higher achievers when their
parents become more involv ed in education.
Barbara Goodson and Robert Hess found.
^Thc prt)gram involving parents as teachers
consisientlyproduced significant immediate
gains in children's IQ scores and seemed to
alter in a positive direction the teaching
behavior of parents" ( 1 975).

As research has continued to show,
parents and family are ^^critical factors'' in
children'seducation/ particulaiiy those who
are at risk of dropping out of schooF' (Halev
and Beriy, 1988). All parents, especially
those of minority students, have a crucial
role in the education of their children.
Students come to teachers with a wealth of
experiences they have gained from their
parents: culture, language, behavior, etc.
Dorothy Rich states, 'AVhat children bring
to school - background and environment
iscritically important in the leamingproccss''
(1987).

A study conducted in Maryland by
Joyce Fipstein on parental invohement
resulted in students whose teachers were
advocates of parental involvement and who
showed more gains in their reading scores
than in any other subject ( 1 984). This was a
result of parents and children reading
together. It is extremely important that
schools and teachers acknowledge these
contributions and make every effort to
incorporate parents' willingness and desire
fora better future fortheirchildren into their
classrooms.

Maureen Botrieand Pat Wenger write
in their book. Parents and Teachers
Together:

Parents have a vested interest in seeing

ERLC

their children succeed.
T h e re f o re , t hey a re a coi n m i 1 1 ed reso u rc e
requiring direction... If we don't help
parents understand how to support their
child's learning, we affect equity of
outcomes in education (1992).

It is true, parents wantthcirchildren
to succeed in school. They do want their
children to become leaders in the community
and study to be attomeys. doctors and
engineers. For example, one parent told
IDRA: "We expect that our children have a
better future, and the hope is that with this
program, our children will better
themselves andge'.bettergrades." Another
said. "My expectations are for my children
to finish school and be respected like a
teacher, doctor or lawyer" (Robledo
Montecel, etal., 1993).

The Role ofSehools as
Partners with Parents

Because actions speak louder than
words, many schools presume that parents
are not concerned with their children's
education because they do not attend
parent/teacher meetings or assist with the
assignments taken home. Dr. Jose A,
Cardenas, founder and director emeritus of
IDRA, adds:

Parents care about their children's
education, more than school personnel
sometimes realize,.. In fact, obstacles
and misunderstandings between home
and school arc more frequent than not for
Hispanic families, and the
repercussions of clashing values beget
more obstacles and misunderstandings

October 1995

Conchi Solas, B.A.

(1977).

Parental involvement encompasses
more than having parents show up to
meeti ngs or speaking with teachers w hen
their children have misbehaved in class.
It entails a commitment in school and at
home. Making parents feel important to
the education of their children is the key to
unlocking the silence: '^Not only must
children he recognized and valued b\ their
schools, but so must their parents and
families. The hopes, sacritan^s aiid
contributionsthat families make shouldnever
be overlooked or undervalued" (IDRA,
1993).

If schools and administrators want to
successfully incorporate parents into the
classroom, properly designing a parental
program is very important. In its recent
publication, Hispanic Families as I alued
PartnersADRA has developed criteria fora
successful parental program (Robledo
Montecel, et al., 1993). Major steps that
should be taken include:

• Assess the status quo of the campus.

• Establish a philosophy that values all
students and a vision for family
involvement.

• F'onn a team for change.

• Enable "buying into" the new
philosophy.

• Sur\ey parents' needs.

• Develop a framework for family
involvement.

School administrators have an
important role in developing family
involvement in their schools. Hispanic
Families as I alued Partners explains these
steps in detail. It also provides specific
infomiation on the administrator's role in
developing family involvement in schools.
Possible roles of administrators include
advisor, advocatccatalyst, insider, interface,
problem-solver or solution-giver, process-
helper, resource-linker, spokes-person,
supporter and team mernber.

Silent Partners - ioniimtvd on pa^c 16

IDRA Newsletter

REFLECTlOm i

Valued Youths: Six Years Later

Conchi Salas

I have only been with IDRA for two years, but, in that short time, I have had the
opportunity to see just why the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program is such a success. For the past
10 years, the Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program has been helping students, who would
otherwise fall through the cracks and who are labeled *'at-risk,'' to shine.

'llie basic idea of this program, and all other programs at IDRA, is that all students are
valuable: all students can succeed and excel if they a e given the support needed to soar to
excellence. The Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program has done Just that. It has helped more than
5,000 students in both elementary and secondary schools become ^'valued'' students, and the
success of the program continues to grow evrr\' year.
1 had the opportunity to meet students who had been tutors in the eaiiier \ ears of the program and to hear their experiences
before, during and, especially, after the tutoring program. The students 1 met either had completed or are completing their
education, despite all odds.

Diana..,

Diana* is in the 11 th grade at Options in Education in McAUen, Texas. Neither of her parents graduated from high school.
Her mother is a housewife, and her father is an electrician. Diana has one sister who is going to college and studying to be a medical
assistant. Diana knows that graduating from high school is the key to a successful future: 'That "v the only way you v.nll ever be
able to succeed in life. Getting an education is very important to me. " However, graduating from high school was not always
important to Diana: "I always wanted to drop out. I never liked school. Maybe it was Just laziness, but I never liked going to school
even when I was small. " She changed her mind about school when she went to Options. Her schedule was more flexible and easier
to handle.

This is Diana's second semester to tutor. She feels that the program has helped her: '7/ did help me to start going over ft
gave mc more of a responsibility to come to school every day. " Diana also knows that the program has helped her personally:
Yes. I used to have a low self esteem. And when I started tutoring the kids, ! mean they really look up to you. Any little thing
you door you don't, oryou don't come, they notice everything. It just feels good. " She isproud of herself: " I know that I can succeed.
I'm mora responsible. I Just really believe in myself I feel good in helping people. It 's something that I really like to do. "

This change that has occurred with Diana has also affected her home life: "/ have a different attitude towards my parents.
I respect them more. I obey them more. I really work on my school work more. " Her parents have noticed a change and they're
surprised about the way she is acting: 'They like it. It brings me to school everyday and teaches me to be responsible and he there
to help them [the children]. And they think it is really good. "

Diana's goal is to graduate from high school, attend Pan American University and study law. Diana adds uiat the Coca-Cola
Valued Youth Program, "is really good 'cau.se it brings someone's self-esteem up. With all the little kids looking up to you, it
makes you feel like a role model. It really helps your self-esteem. "

Martha...

Martha* is 1 9 years old now and has fond memories of her experiences as a tutor. She remembers coming from Mexico and
entering school not knowing a word of l:nglish. She was very shy when the teacher coordinator encouraged her to join the program
at her school. Within no time, Martha was forming strong bonds with her tutees: "As soon as I would open the door, they wordd
all run towards me and they would hug me and kiss me. When it was time to leave, they wouldn 7 want me to leave. Vicy would
cry... They did show me a lot of love and a lot of respect. They called me teacher. That made me feel great; like I was really wanted
at some place and at some time. I already knew where I was wanted. "

During her first year of tutoring, Martha was selected to go to Austin, Texas, and make a presentation of the program to
the governor and other state officials: "I guess I did succeed because I was the guest speaker and telling them what the program
was about and what the kids were about. I 'm proud of myself for making that presentation because that \s what it was for. to make
the program grow. "

When Martha moved on to high school, she participated in sports and joined the ROTC and became an officer; her grades
continued to increase. But, she eventually became pregnant and now has a one-year-old daughter to take care of. She has had some
trouble continuing with school and taking care of her daughter when she becomes ill: '7 know that both of these are important,
but my baby comes first. I really want to graduate. I vmnt that diploma and I 'm going to get it. I know I 'm going to graduate. "
Martha walked across the stage in May 1994 to receive her diploma.

(\mchi Salas is a research assi.^tant in IDRA Division of Research and Evaluation

October 1995

IDRA Newsletter

" Xanic chan\icd for /trivacv.

4& Commentary

HOW TO MOnVATB h TUTOR

How TO BE Happy in High School

SoutCL' ( lu a-i 'iild I 'dluctl )i>ulh l^rt)iinini Mcmnt \ f'ip\ for

Men lor (I If 1(1 1'
Hnnxnsxilh- /.S/).

Q V October 1995 Bll «DRA Newsletter

ERJC ™ 12

Attrition Anaiyses - continued from pa^^c I

The number of students lost from
public high school enrollment has
increased from 1985-86 to 1991-92 The

number ofstudents (in grades nine through
12) lost from publie seliool enmUmeni
ilimugh aiiruion itiereased tVoni about
S6.()()()in to about 1 22.700 in I W-

fiy contrast. TliA Ibuiul that tlie
nuniberofstudentsc ni grades se\ en througli
12) leaving the state's public education
system declined consistently from ^ 1 .307 in
10S7-SS to 43.402 in 1^-03.

Kthnic minority students m ere more
likely to be lost from school enrollment
than were White non-Hispanic students,
when adjusted for population size.
Hispanic and African American students,
'cspectively. were 1 .7 times more likely to
be lost from public high school enrollment
through attrition than were White students.
Native American students were 1.4 times
more likely to be lost from public high
school enrollment through aurition than were
W hite students. Asian American students
were 1.7 times less likely to be lost from
public high school enrollment through
attrition than were White students.

l or the 1902-03 school year, TI£A
found that Hispanics were 2.5 times more
likely to dropout out of school than were
White students; African Americans were
2. 1 times more likely to drop out of school
tha!\ were White students: other students
(Native American and Asian American
students) were 1 .2 times more likely to drop
out of school than were White students.

More males were lost from public
high school enrollment through attrition
than were females. Fifty-six percent of
students lost from public high school
enrollment were male, and 44 percent were
female. For each race-ethnic group, males
were more likely to be lost from school
enrolltnent due to attrition than were
females. The difference in the percent of
males and females lost through attrition
was particularly acute for African
Americans.

In its study of 1902-93 dropout
statistics, TEA found that about 58 percent
of the dropouts w ere male, and about 42
percent of dropouts were female.

!DRA *s Findiftfis Contradict
TEA *s Findings

IDR A*s findings showthat the number
and percent ofstudents lost from enrollment

Attrition Rates - continued on pa^c 15

High School Completion and School Dropout Rates

High School Completion^

19-20 year-olds 23-24 year-olds

Alabama

Alaska

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connect icut

Delaware

Disinci o!' C olunUiia

I'lorula

Cieorgia

Hawaii

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massaclnisells

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampsliiic
New Jcrse\
Mew Mexico
New York
North C\ut>hna
North Dakota
Ohio

Oklahoma

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South C arolma

South Dakota

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

United States

K2
S>
SO

ss
ss
S3
7*)
SO
^>1

*>3
S^)
X2
SI
^0
S(i

8^>

SS
SO

84
82
82

S(i
86
86
02
SO

87^

School
Dropout**

10
II

13
8
11

10
6
12
II
8
7
15

10
12
10
13

10
12

•Percent of all adults wiih a high school credential. 1990
**Pcrccntof all 16-19 year olds without a credential, 1990
'Percent of young adults 19-20 with a high school credential, 1993
'•Percent of young adults 23-24 with a high school credential, 1993
'Percent of young adults 16-24 without a high school credential, 1993

Source: National Education Goals Panel, 1994 National Education Goals Report. Volume 1 and
Volume 2

ERIC

October 1995

IDRA Newsletter

Attrition Rates in Texas Public Schools:
By Race-Ethnicity, 1994-95

An RirioN

Rati:s'

C Ol M V

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•('alculatcilby: ( I )ili\ulmgihchighschiu)l cnrollincnl in ihccnJ ycai hy the high
school cnrolhiicnt in the base year; (2) miilliplying the results frotw Cakiilalion
I by the ninth graile enrollment in the base year: (3) subtracting the lesiilts from
( alculation 2 from the 1 2ih grade enrollnicni m the enti year; anil (4) ili\ uling the
results ofC alculation 3 b\ the result of Calculation 2. The attrition rate results
(pereenlagcs) were rounded to the nearest whole number.

** AtirilKMi i.Ue IS less than zero (0)

. The neccssai v d;iia are unavailable to calculjie the aitiiiion rate.

ERIC BEST COPY AVAILABLE

October 1995

IDRA Newsletter
1 A

An RiTiON Rates in Texas Public Schools:
By RACE-ETHNicn \, 1994-95 (continuki))

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SI ATI lOlAl

October 1995

IDRA Newsletter

LoNGiTUDiNAi Attrition Rati.s in Tkxas Public High Schools
1985-1986 TO 1994-1995

Pi iu kn I

1985-

1 9k7

1 QQ 1
1 W 1 -

1 yyjL-

( H \N(;i KuoM

1986

1987 :

1988

1989

' 1990

' 1992

1993 >

1995

1985-86

In 1994-95

Native A nicrican \

39 !

i
1

Asian Pacific Islander \

3.>

30 ;

1 21

21 :

; -45

Black

3S !

■ 3S

•4-7

White ;

' 20

25 .

• 1 1

Hispanic i

46 j

1 4S

' 4S

\ 4S

49 ;

^ 1 3

Total

34 \

1 31

36 '
1

•igurcs calculatal h\ IDKA Iroiii Texas liducaiioii Ageiic\ I 'ull Mcfuhcrship Sitrwy daia.

Attrition Analyses - lunnnucd from pui^c 12

in Texas public schools has increased from
the initial study in 19S5-86 to the most
recent study for 1 994-95 . But TEA ' s findings
show a decreasing dropout rate.

Obviously, the methodologies
employed by IDRA and TEA to obtain the
estimates of the number of students who
leave school prior to graduation are different.

IDRA conducts aiiriiion analyses of
enrollnient figures at two points in time
(ninth grade and 12th grade enrollment four
years later). TEA reports dro/xnii daia for
each school year provided by school districts
through the PHIMS.

Another factor involves the recent
changes in the state's methodology. Each
year, school districts are required to report

Enrollment Data

Racc-Ethnic!t\

1991-92

1994-95

(jroup

9th Grade

9th- 12th

12th Grade

9th- I2th

Knr oilmen t'

Enrollment'

Enrollment^

Native Anicncan

564

1.722

412

2.162

Male

304

903

20.^

1.112

fcnialc

260

819

209

1 .050

Asian ' Pac i fi c 1 s 1 a ndcM

5.922

21.410

5.597

24.(i74

Male

3.1 15

1 1.182

2. 80S

12.562

Female

2.807

10.22J;

2.789

12.1 12

Hispanic

102.247

288,393

55.537

317.931

Male

54,244

148.489

27.446

163.312

Pe 111 ale

4K.003

139,904

28.091

154.619

Black

41,788

122,040

22.869

133,586

Male

21.690

61.317

10.852

66.404

Penialc

20,098

60.723

12.017

67,182

White

134,100

454,413

99,089

476,892

Mate

69..^ 86

232.517

49,956

244,522

Pcnialc

64,714

221,896

49,133

232.370

Fotal

284.(i21

887.978

183.504

955,245

Male

148J39

454.408

91,265

487,912

Penialc

135,882

433,570

92.239

407,333

"Enrollnient data from the lexas l:duention Agency's 199

1 hall Member

ship Survey.

'l-nrollmcnt data from the

Texas F-ducation Agency's 1994 Fall Mvmhci

ship Sur^K.y

ERIC

to TliA the number of students who ha\e
dropped out of school ihat year. The dropout
recovery process has recently been expanded
to exclude from those lu'inbers students
who meet any of the Ibllowing conditions
(TEA, 1995):

• Students who have remained enrolled in
public school soiiiewliere in the state
[according to the school district
attendance and enrollment information
provided through the PEIMS).
Unfortunately, this system does not
efficiently track student sand, thus, causes
the under reporting of dropouts.

• Students who ha\e received a General
Educational Development (GEO)
certificate and appear on the (3EI)
infomiation II le at the time the recovery
procedures are executed. In effect, this
equates completion of a GED program
with classroom study and high school
graduation. IDRAtakesstrongexception
to this concept that if a student quits
school and subsequently obtains a GED.
the student was never a school dropout
(Cardenas, 1994).

• Students who have graduated within the
last year.

• Students who were expelled for criminal
behavior occurring on school property or
at school related functions (if the student
was incarcerated, that student is not
reported as a dropout ). 1 DR A i s concerned
that too many school districts relinquish
their responsibility to educate these
students. ,luvenile justice systems and
school districts need to work together, as
they do in a handful of locations, to make
sure these children are educated.

• Students who were idcntifiedasdropouts

Attntion Anaiyses - coniinuaf on pa^e H

October 1995

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

IDRA Newsletter

CuRRKNT Dropout DKKiNi rioNs in Tkxas

li lut( is a Dropout?

Definition: A student is identified as a drop(Hit if
he or she is absent for 30 or more eonseeiiti\e days
without appnned exeuse or doeumeiited transfer or ii
heorshe t'ailstore-ei\roll duringthe first 3()eonseeuti\ e
days ill the following semester.

Students in the following cate}>()ries are
identified as dropout:;:

• Students w ho dropout out as defnied by the 30 day
absenee rule stated in law .

• Students w ho enter the military.

• Students from speeial edueation. ungraded or
alternative edueation programs w ho drop out.

• Students w ho leave sehool and enter a program not
qualifying as an elementary or seeondary sehool
(i.e., eosmetology school), and

• Studontscnrolledasmigrantsand w hose w hereabouts

arc unknown,

Students in the following categories aie not
included as dropouts:

• Students who die,

• Students who drop out as defmed by the 30 day
absence rule before the seventh grade,

• Students who arc out of sehool for temporary periods

with an approved exeu.se.

Students showing regular attendance at a state-

approNcd alternative program.

Students enrolled as migrants w ho ha\e subsequent

sehoolenrollmentrecords(aMigrant Student Record

Transfer System [MSRTS] educaticMi rec(^rd is

available).

Students known to iia\e transferred to another public
school, adult or alternative education program, or
home schooling.

Students who move to another grade level.
Students who enroll in college early, and
Students transferred or assigned to another public
institution or state-appro\ed educational program.

How is (he Dropout Rate Calculated?

U dropouts

total 7-12 urade October enrollment*

Annual

Dropout

Rate**

* Until this year. T1:A used cunuilatixe enrollment
numbers, which count students w ho w ere in school
at any time during the school year.

** Also called the event dropout rate.

Souivc:

Tcvas l-Alucalion .\ucnc>. / VVJ-'A^' Rcjuirt on Puhld Si hool hrnjHmis, Januaiy 1 W5

.S7/('/i/ Partners - coniniiauf from pdiic V

One of the many programs IDRA has
successfully implemented is the Coca-Cola
Valued ^'outh Program (see Page 3), A
critical component of the program is parental
in voK ement , The goal is to empow er parents
and families through outreach and
meaningful school activities. In April 1995,
IDRA hosted parents at itsCoca-C\^la Valued
Youth Program Fifth Annual National
Training Seminar and Valued Youth
C onfcrence held in San Antonio, Parents
were brought together with students and
teaehei s from across the United States, These

ERLC

Coming Up!

In November-December, the
IDRA Newsletter
focuses on Technology.

parents shared their views on how they
could become more involved in their
children's education and in schools to make
a difference. They also expressed thai
because of the Coca-Cola Valued Youth
Program they had become more connected
with their children and their children's
schools.

Parents are a crucial component in the
education of their children. It is of utmost
importance that schools open their doors
and include parents in theirefforts to educate
youngpeople.Schoolscannot afford to lea\ e
parents in silence. Parents as valued partners
are a vital resource,

Uoinc, Maureen aiul Wcuiici. Teachers itntH\nrui\
r(>}lillivr(\^\i\Ahi\mA)n\i\r\o: Pembroke Publishers
Luiiiicd, m2).

C nrilenas, Jose A. and Ulandma C ardcnas The Thany
of hitompatihilntvs (San Antonio. Texas-
Interculuiral Development Kescareh Assoeiation.
1^)77).

I'pstein. Joyce. (mprovtn^Ami'tu tm Eihu aium Roles

lor f\iren{\. Testimony for the Seleei Committee
on Children. ^'ouIh aiul l amihes (W'as)nngton
O.C.: L'.S House or Kepresentatives, IW)
(ioodson. liarbara and Koberi Hess. }\nents as
reaeher\ of )imn\iChiftft en In f '.vafiaitn e fieview
of St line Contemporan C'tfneefH\ ami f^ro\:rams
(Palo Alto, Calil" Stanford I ni\ersil\. r>75).
Male). Paul and Karen Hcit\". Home ami Siliool as
banners {lefpoi\i Potent^ llefp Tfteir ( fnfdren
Ando\er, Mass: Ihe Regional Laboratory for
l .dueational lmpro\ ement of the Northeast and
Mauds, U)SX)
Intereultural Development Keseaich Assoeiation.
f 'amffie\ m Sefuutfs rorenis' ihafoiiues To^^ar^is
SiiulentSueee.s^iSiin Antonio, lexas: Intereultural
Desolopment Keseareh Assoeiation. P)^^)
Kieh. DorotliN. Sifu)of^ amf l'amifie\ f\sue\ ami
Aenon (Washington, DC' National l-xlucation
Assieiation. iyS7)
Kobk .lo Moiiteeel, Maria, Aurora (iallagher, Aiirclio
Ml 'lit cm ay or. Abelardo N'illarreal, Ninta Adamc-
R .>na and .losie D Supik. Ilispame I'auufies as
I'uiueii fanners In fuiueait>r's Uuiile (San
Antonio. Pexas. Intereultural Development
Research Assoeiation. WS).

Concltt Salas is a research assistance in the
IDRA Division of Research ami Evahtatum.

October 1995

IDRA Newsletter

Utrition itntiyws mniinucJ fnnn juti^t' I

M an\ time back to the 10^)0-^)1 scliool
>car, the first year that student
identification data were collected along
with the dropout record. Ihis is TI.A's
w a\ ol ensuring tliat each student is onl\'
counted once. lUit. since some students
drop out more than once, this change
hinders a com pi etc picture of a school
district's record m rccoxcnng and
retaining students.

.'\ third factor causing differenl
tl nd i ng s h> T I •! A an d 11 ) R . \ i n \ i) 1 \ c s T I : A \
methodolog> for determining the annual, or
i'wnt. dropout rate. Tl:A changed the data
source it uses to calculate the rates. They
now must use i uniulativc instead of fall
enrollment data. The cunuiiati\ e lluure is a

larger number and subsequently produces a
smallerdropout rate than the fall enrollment
data.

Iffip/ica/ions

V\'iththcatiention focused on dropouis
o\ er the past decatle. it is reatlil> apparcni
that either the stated dropout problem has
improved drastically or the impro\enient is
drasiicallv exaggerated. IDR.-W findings
that the problem is w orscmng rctlects \\ hat
w e are hearing in the field from teachers ami
others. Dropout statistics and the
methodologies must continue to be
monitored to ensure that the>' arc used in
\\a\s that improve the education of all
children. By all means, the dropout

pre\ entum strategies must not be minnnized,
and considerable attention must focused on
keeping students in school.

Resources

S. /.' < }h,,f^.>iii\ ( \unUm. II \ l.inu.MN

( aulciui^. .loso \ . \ljn;i Jcl KcUitiio Ki»Mcili> aiul

.U»sK- Sllplk /i S. //I ♦«'/ /)/!'/»«'.'// S.'// \ « -I !''H/i il

(S.tn \nionio. Ua.k lnicKnlun.il l>cvcU>i^nK'ni
KcNCJfch \sM)cuiiion. IWSM
c .iiJoiMs. loso \ "llispjnk- Dn^pouis Kcpoii U\
(ioiv.mI \».».oimtinv' ^ MIko IIjs l^iohlcnis. * H>f< \
\.u\/w/tv (S.in \niiinio. U•\.l^ IntcK uliuial
l)c\v'!i>|Mucnt Rosciivh XsMKijlmn. Ocuthor
I*iw4 I. Wh^M. pp 4-<. I <

/\*<n Jnhn\t>n i\n Mnifurcsciiri fi ii\\initH<nt ilw
IPR I I h\ i\n>n (if Hi \i\u\ h . \ \\tn tiUmn

IDRA'S A l I RITION MODKL

IDRA conducted the first comprehensive analysis of school dropouis in the stale c^f Texas in 19S6. This
research cffoii was conducted by IDRA under contract with the Te.\as Departinenl of C\>mnumily Affairs (now
Texas Department of Commerce) and the Texas Education Agency {TI-,A) with Dr. Maria Robledo MonleccI
ser\ ing as the principle investigator. The study was conducted during the period of Ma\ 1 ^)S6 through October
1 986 and focused on the magnitude of the dropout problem, the economic impact of the school dropouts, and the
nature and effectiveness of dropout prevention programs in Texas. The study's findings weiv published in a multi-
\ olumc report. Texas School Dropout Survey Project (Cardenas, J., ct al, 1986).

IDRA has developed a technique for estimating the number of students lost fi*om Texas public schools as
a result of attrition. The formula for computing the longitudinal attrition rates consists of taking grade level
enrollment for a base year and comparing these figures to grade le\ el enrollment in a subsequent (or end) year,
with the assumption that a decline in the number of students enrolled constitutes the attrition rale for the school
or district and that the cohort attrition rate is closely related to the annual dropout late. IDRA's cohort
longitudinal attrition analyses allow for increases and decreases in a district's enrollment figures since district
enrollment may vary from school year to school year.

fjirollment data used in the study were obtained from the Texas Education Agency's Fall Membership
Survey. Results are presented for 252 of the 254 Texas counties; two counties (Kenedy and Loving) did not have
liiiih schools.

Youth Leadership - i ttniinucJ Innu jui^^v

• Youth leadership actions will directly
intluence school transformation.

Tomorrow's leaders are found in
today's classrooms, truly great works in
progress. \'q\ many youth leaders are like
rough diamonds needing to be brought out
and polished, prepared to assume their
rightful places around the decision making
tables of today and tomorrow.

Youth leadership in a school district
or campus can happen through this IDRA
program lor those who are willing to commit
the resources. Along with the financial
resources this program requires the
following:

• A team of educators who act upon their
beliefs that students can be leaders,

especially those not usuall\- considered
for leadership roles;

A willingness to expand the \ariety of
acuvitiesthat will allow students to show
leadcrshipand reveal their intrinsic value;
A network of adults supporting
experimentation with non-traditional
activities;

Delegation of responsibility to students
and allowance for experimentation and
mistakes;

Acceptance of interruptions, digressions
and alternate paths in the traditional
curriculum and scheduling:
f'ncouragement of validation and positive
interaction among students with labelsof
limitation; and

• Allowance of student choices and
decisions, e\en when these seem trivial
or unimpoiiant to adults.

W'e km)w that the resources and the
willingnessare there. Ourbelief IS reaffimied
yearly in our work with hundreds of schools.
We all w ant to hear students say, as they do
in the Coca-Cola Valued ^'outh Program,
"Tm u responsible person and I can
contribute. 1 proved it through what I did
this year. 1 am an important community
leader."

Aiiivlio \fon}cinayov is a seiin'r i'lhtcntian
asun iuw w (hi- IDRA /hvisKm of Pro^cssiofwl
Ih'vcUijmcnt Jasic nanini Supik is the diia /"r
of the IDRA Divisumnj Rvscanhaml E\aluntum.

ERIC

October 1995

IDR>^I^wsletter

Resources on Youth Leadership

Additional Readings and Information

Leadership cas

EXdACiE VOL .\(; PEOPLE
ISTESSELY ASn DEEPLY.
LlBERATlSCf THEIR
BEST E\ER(rlES.

- Dorothy Stonemmu
p re s id en r, > o u th Hu iliL
Quoted in A New \ ision:
Promoting \ outh Development,
September I99L

CanlcMiaN. Jose \ Addressing School Dropouts. " IDRA Xcwslcurr (San Antonio. Texas:

Inicicullural I)c\clopnient Research As^ociaiioi^. Auuusi 1^)S^M. W1(X». pp 4-S
C auicnas. Jose A. 'Hispanic Dropouts: Report l)\ (General Accountinj» Offlee Has Problems.**

IDRA \Vu-.s/(7U'/- (San Aiiloiiio. Texas liilcrculiural elopnicul Research Assoeialion.

Ociobcr 1^)^)4). XM(V). pp. 4-\ 15
ClL-menls. Barbara S. "What Is a Dropout*" I'/ic Si h<u>l Atlnnnisiniior (WmxU IWO). pp. !S-:2.
l)c l.una. Anna *invisil)Ie Girls: The Other Half of America's Dropout Problem/' IPHA

Wvt v/t'//t'/* (San Antonio. lexas. hitcrcuhural l)c\clopiiicni Research Association, October

rm). XXK^)). pp. 11, i.v

Johnson. Roy. ••.Attrition Rates .\re(;oing I p: Texas Rates Higher Than National Average. '

IDHA Xcw'sk'llcr {^i\n Antonio. Texas: Inicrculiiiral l)e\elopnicnt Research Associalion.

October 1 W). XX1(9), pp. 15
NU>ntc>. lelix. •innovative Technology Supports Trcvcniion and Recover) of Student Dropouts'

Collection," IDRA Xewslciicr (San .Antonio, Texas: Intercultural Dexelopnieni Rcj'.carch-

Associalion, October IW), XXK^M. pp. 12-13.
Robledo Moniecel, Maria and Aurelio M Montcniaxoi. ••Successful Schooling and .At-Risk

^outh: Research Findings and Recommendations." IDRA Neusleiter iSan Antonio,

Texas: Intercultural Development Research Associalion. .August Wi)). X\ ll(7), pp. f-''
RohledoNlontecel>laria,JosieD.SupikandJose A. Cardenas, •• Improving Student Performance:

Study Identifies Better Approach, * IDRA Xrwsleiwr (San Antonio. Texas, hitcrcuhural

DcNclopment Research Association, October 1^)94). XX1( 9), pp. 1. 14.
Supik. Josie D. ""The Coca-Cola Valued N'outh Program: An Idea That Works," IDRA

\Vu-.s7(7/tr (San Antonio. Texa>: Intercultural Development Research .Association. October
M>94). XXI(9). pp. 3. 16-17.

7'///t's in htfhl iire iivnilahk' from IDRA ui no < *m/

( oniOi I IDRA \ Cnninnnncdiions Muna^^cr /</ ul'idin / t/'/v/j/N I'liiink

Publications A vailable from IDRA

The i(til()\\'in<i jnihliaiiions arc uvuiluhlc from IDRA at the listed price: ihcrc /s no addiiional charge for shinpiiiii and h<iU(llin<^
Diihlicationitrdcrs shindd he directed la ( 'inninunications Manai^cr, IDRA, .W-*^ ( 'allasiluin Rmui, Siiiw ^.^0. San Antonio. Tc.wc^ "SJJS^
I IW. It is IDRA pnli( \ that all orders totalinsi less than S<0 he pre-paid. Thank von

Families is Schools

hv Maria Rohledo \hnncecl. Ph D. and IDRA Staff

A testament to parents* convictions and dctcrtnination that their children will have a better life than they ha\ e had and a testament
to parents* willinuness to become partners with their children's schools.

26 Pages: $4.50
19^)3; Paperback; No IS13N

Texas School Dropout Suri ey Project: A Summary or Fisdisos

hvJose A ( (irdenas. Ed.D . Maria del Refu\iit) Rohledo. Ph.D. and Josie Su/hk. .\I.A

This publication presents the magnitude and economic impact of the dropout crisis in Texas, it also addresses the di\cisity o! the
dropout population and the lack oTdtopout prevention programs with demonstrated eTfectiveness.

81 Pages; $7.00

October 31, 10S(>; Paperback; ISBN^ 1 -878550-37-3

ERIC

Vali i:i) Youth AsTiioLocr: Articles os Dropout Prei emios

A compendium oi'lDRA Newsletter articles from I ^)86- 1 2989, this publication addresses the dropout problem, the implementation
of dropout prevention programs, iindereducated youth and illiteracy. Other subjects, such as limitcd-Hnglish-proficient students,
are also included.

108 Pages: $5.00

1989 I'irst Hditioii;Qualt^^\perback; ISBN/M -878550-27-6
October 1995 VR IDRA Newsletter

Schedule OF IDRA Training and Workshop Activities

October 1 - October 31, 1995

/7//N Ii\f inrliuli \ tu nviiir\ t/iat have hccit schcduh-ii for jUirtintUtr si lnufl Jislricis ami athcr sirottps. Thc\ arc m>t itpcn lo (he piihlii / or infftrinaiion
I in N( lutlulm*: a similar rwv// /r;r \ s( Ihfo/ Jisirut or other itnntj) < unttu I I DR. \ iit J Id ^S-f-^lSU

DATE

Oct. 2

Ocl. 3
Ocl. .V4

Ocl. 4

Ocl. 5

Ocl. 6
Oct. 9

Oct. 10

Ocl.

Ocl. 12

Ocl. 13

Oct. 16
Ocl. 17

Oct. 18

Ocl. 19

SCHOOL DISTRICT/AGENCY

Livingsion Indcpcndcni School District (ISD)
Rio Grande City C onsolidatcd ISD (C'ISD)

I:spanola Public Schools. New Mexico
F-cior County ISD

Roma ISD

Souihside ISD
Southwest ISD

Dotiiia ISD
Southwest ISD.
Roma ISD
Houston ISD

Rio Grande City CISD
Roma ISD

Roma ISD

Southwest, Southside and South San Antonio
Taos Public Schools, New Mexico

(jladson Public Schools, New Mexico
Harlandalc ISD

Arkansas State Department of Education
Ector County ISD

Northside ISD
Midland ISD
Tyler ISD
Donna ISD
Donna ISD

Gallup Public Schools, New Mexico

Northside ISD

McAlIenlSD

Rio Grande City CISD

Corpus Christi, Texas

The Center, IDRA

Los Angeles ( )rtlcc ofb^ducation
Roma ISD

Texas State Teachers Association Austin,
Zuni Public Schools, New Mexico

ERLC

October 1995

TOPIC

I-.nibraciiig Cultural D!\ersit> in School
Overview and Vision Statement W'OCAM

(World Class Achievement in Math)
Bilingual Education and the Law
Content Based Strategies for Nonbilingual lUemcniary

and Secondary Teachers
Reading Project - Reading Strategies and C'oaching for

Language Arts Teachers
Coca-Cola VYP - Tutor Observ ations
Coca-Cola Valued Youth Program (VYP) -

Introduction to Elementary Receiving Teachers
Reading Project

Coca-Cola W? First Implementation Team Meeting
Reading Project

Introduction to Structures and Reading Strategies for
English as a Second Language ( L.SL) C luster
Teachers
WOCAM Project ()\ er\ iew
Developing Appropriate Practices in Billtigual

Education
Reading Project
ISDs Coca-Cola VYP' Planning

National Origin Students and Office for Civil

Rights (OCR) Requirements
Playtime Is Science Annual Meeting
Engineering. Science and Math Increases Job

Aspirations (ES-MLIA) Project Implementation
ESL Early Childhood Education
Cultural Enrichment Using Spanish

Reading Strategies
Technical Assistance and Classroom Visits
Learning Styles
Thematic Unites for ESL
Coca-Cola VYP - Tutor Training
Reading Project

Review Progress of OCR Mandates

Young Scientists Acquiring English ( YSAE)

Coca-Cola VYP - Training and Technical

Assistance for Receiving Teachers
Demonstration Lessons and Debriefings for Math
Teachers

Association for Compensatory Education in Texas

conference presentation
Training and Technical Assistance for Administrators

in Home Instruction Program for Preschool

Youngsters (HIPPY)
Coca-Cola VYP Observations, Training

and Technical Assistance
Reading Project Strategics and Coaching

for Language Arts reachers
fexas Site Based Decision Management

Playtime Is Science Annual Meeting

IDRA Newsletter

Schedule OF IDRA Training and Workshop Activities

DATE

Oct. 20

Oct. 21
Oct. 24
Oct. 25
Oct. 27

Oct. 28

Oct. 30

Oct. 31

SCHOOL DISTRICT/AGENCY

Pampii ISI)
R\o (iraiulc

lev

Pharr-Snii Juan-Alamo ISI)

Dallas ISD

San Antonio, Texas

C orpus Christi ISI)

San Diego ISD

Houston ISD

San Antonio ISD

Donna ISD

Laredo ISD

Dallas ISD

University of Texas El Paso

l-.ducation Service Center (HSC) Region X

Santa Maria ISD

Oklahoma City Public Schools, Oklahoma

October 1 - October 31, 1995

TOPIC

liSL Strategies in Content Areas

Texas Association tor Bilingual l-.dwcator> ////(/ ^ del

Oiiinfo Sol: Redefining renimnie Roles Through

Literature Conference
Thematic L'liits

First and Second Language Acquisition
Parents Reclaiming Their Schools
HSL Strategies CALLA
Importance oT Parent Involvement
ESL Peer Coaching
Project hnplementation
WOW (Workshop on Workshops)
Team Building
LSL Strategies

Strategies for Limited-Engiish-Proficient (LEP)

Students
Emerging Literature Conference
Designing a Bilingual Education Program, and

Bilingual and I-SL Strategies
E'SL Sheltered Instruction for Content Area Teachers
ESL Strategies

M 1 t • t » t » •

Noii-Profil Or^aiii/aiion

I .s. post \<;f. P\!I)

IVriiiil N<.. }\')2
Sail Antoiiut. I \ 7S22S

^ Ai I » T T T

5S35 Callau'iuw Ro
San Antonio^ T\ .1 > il 1 1 1 1 1 1 n 1 1 1 • m 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 • 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 » ! i • 1 1 1 1 ! 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 »

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